Get Baby to Hold a Bottle - Use formula instead of breast milk. If you're still using breast milk in the bottle, the baby may not adhere to this change. However, by using formula, your baby will begin to understand that this is a new change and that the new taste he is experiencing comes from the bottle. Some babies also may have allergies to particular formulas, so be sure to check with a pediatrician about which formula is best for your baby.
Try using different nipples for the bottle. For example, silicone and latex bottle nipples are sold in stores. If one doesn't work, try the other. It may be that your baby prefers sucking a particular nipple due to the texture.
Get Baby to Hold a Bottle
Use clean, cool water when mixing your baby's formula. Warm the bottle only once and make sure that it is not to hot for the baby to grasp. The warmth of the bottle may turn off your baby from wanting to hold it at first, but eventually the baby should become accustomed to the warmth and feel comfortable with grasping the sides of the bottle.
Hold the bottle firmly when you're feeding the baby so that the bottle is inclined and the nipple completely fills up with formula. This will help teach your baby to pull against the bottle as he sucks so he does not drink too much at once. Holding the bottle as if you're breast-feeding is a way for the baby to naturally want to grab what he is sucking.
Let your baby play with an empty bottle and learn to hold and suck on it on her own before giving her a bottle with formula. Start by filling the bottle only half of what you normally fill it with until you see that your baby is comfortable feeding herself with the bottle.
Teaching you baby to hold his own bottle is an important milestone for the development of your infant, and it is also one of the first skills that your baby will learn. It's important to know that babies are typically not able to hold their own bottle until they are nine months old. However, some babies can start holding their own bottle as early as six months old. It's important to not physically strain you baby's head by forcing her to hold her own bottle before she is nine months old. All babies develop at different rates, but if your baby is still struggling or resisting holding a bottle well after nine months, you should talk to a physician about your concerns. - by eHow
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